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NFL Draft to air on FOX, reports say

Derek Barnett is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles during the NFL Draft in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Eakins Oval, in Philadelphia, April 27, 2017. Fox will team up with the NFL Network for a joint production of the draft in April 2018, with a mix of talent from both networks. (Ben Solomon/The New York Times Copyright 2018)

In addition to usual coverage from ESPN and NFL Network, the 2018 NFL Draft will be televised by Fox for the first time, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.

Pro Football Talk reported that Fox is expected to carry a simulcast of the NFL Network feed, while ESPN will continue to run its own broadcast.

Putting the draft on Fox will allow the event to reach viewers who don't have cable, furthering efforts in recent years to bolster interest in one of the NFL's offseason highlights. This year will also mark the first time that the draft will be held in a stadium, with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the event.

Fox inked a reported $550 million deal with the NFL in January to broadcast Thursday Night Football through the 2022 season, after CBS and NBC shared that responsibility in 2017. TNF broadcasts have been simulcast on NFL Network for the last several years, often featuring collaborative pregame and halftime shows with analysts from multiple networks.